Weighing ’non’ on French NATO bid
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 07, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - With France seen to be pouring cold water on Turkey’s EU bid, NATO members are anxiously looking to see to what degree Turkey uses its veto trump as leverage.
As many in NATO look to see Turkey's reaction to France's announcement that France wanted to rejoin the organization's military arm, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Friday that Turkey was evaluating the decision.
More than four decades after quitting NATO's military wing, France wants back in the fold. But as all decisions are made unanimously in NATO, all eyes have turned on Turkey, which holds a right to veto. Critics have said how Ankara reacts will be important, considering the French blow to the country's accession negotiations with the European Union. Paris objects to the opening of five policy chapters in Turkish-EU talks.
"What's important is when and how the decision will be implemented by NATO," Babacan told reporters at Ankara's Esenboğa airport before departing for Munich, where he was to attend a security conference.
Babacan said France was already an active member of the transatlantic alliance and involved in some NATO operations, such as the operation in Afghanistan. He said the issue had both legal and political elements but that the political aspect was dominant.
"We are making an assessment of this. What's important is the NATO alliance remains strong as an international organization, but I believe the decision process over the French application will be discussed in the coming days," he said. Meanwhile French Prime Minister François Fillon appealed to Ankara in search of an appropriate time for a visit, learned the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
Although the timing of the request coincides with the debate on the French return to NATO's military wing, the sources recalled that such a visit was long-planned and cannot be ultimately linked to the NATO Summit that will take place April 3 and 4.
Irked by what it saw as a dominant role of the United States in NATO, France pulled out of the NATO military wing in 1966. France's Le Monde newspaper covered the issue and said Ankara was holding an important card, referring to Turkey's veto power.
Babacan said NATO was considering the French decision. "But a large portion of NATO member states are looking on this positively. Processes are important here. I am sure the French will submit the modalities on their return as soon as possible."Turkey has resisted efforts by the European Union and NATO to cooperate more closely, complaining that EU-member Greek Cyprus Ğ with whom it has a longstanding dispute over the divided island Ğ is blocking its bid for closer EU ties leading to membership.
Babacan, who will be in Munich between Feb. 6 and 8, will participate in the Security Policies Conference and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian."The timing of the meeting with the Armenian foreign minister has been confirmed," he said. The two also met at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.
Babacan will visit Azerbaijan on Monday for talks with his counterpart, Elmar Memmedyarov, and President Ilham Aliyev, according to the ministry.
More than four decades after quitting NATO's military wing, France wants back in the fold. But as all decisions are made unanimously in NATO, all eyes have turned on Turkey, which holds a right to veto. Critics have said how Ankara reacts will be important, considering the French blow to the country's accession negotiations with the European Union. Paris objects to the opening of five policy chapters in Turkish-EU talks.
"What's important is when and how the decision will be implemented by NATO," Babacan told reporters at Ankara's Esenboğa airport before departing for Munich, where he was to attend a security conference.
Babacan said France was already an active member of the transatlantic alliance and involved in some NATO operations, such as the operation in Afghanistan. He said the issue had both legal and political elements but that the political aspect was dominant.
"We are making an assessment of this. What's important is the NATO alliance remains strong as an international organization, but I believe the decision process over the French application will be discussed in the coming days," he said. Meanwhile French Prime Minister François Fillon appealed to Ankara in search of an appropriate time for a visit, learned the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
Although the timing of the request coincides with the debate on the French return to NATO's military wing, the sources recalled that such a visit was long-planned and cannot be ultimately linked to the NATO Summit that will take place April 3 and 4.
Irked by what it saw as a dominant role of the United States in NATO, France pulled out of the NATO military wing in 1966. France's Le Monde newspaper covered the issue and said Ankara was holding an important card, referring to Turkey's veto power.
Babacan said NATO was considering the French decision. "But a large portion of NATO member states are looking on this positively. Processes are important here. I am sure the French will submit the modalities on their return as soon as possible."Turkey has resisted efforts by the European Union and NATO to cooperate more closely, complaining that EU-member Greek Cyprus Ğ with whom it has a longstanding dispute over the divided island Ğ is blocking its bid for closer EU ties leading to membership.
Babacan, who will be in Munich between Feb. 6 and 8, will participate in the Security Policies Conference and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian."The timing of the meeting with the Armenian foreign minister has been confirmed," he said. The two also met at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.
Babacan will visit Azerbaijan on Monday for talks with his counterpart, Elmar Memmedyarov, and President Ilham Aliyev, according to the ministry.